Job Discussion Forums

[Canuck1]

Thanks to everyone who replied, I appreciated reading your views. I was a little disheartened to read that it didn't matter. I think an indifference to grammar shows a lack of respect for the language, written or spoken. Not to mention a lack of respect for the students that pay good money to learn correct English, not what we think they should know.

[Stephen Jones]

Dear Canuck,
You consider it a lack of respect to students that we teach English, as opposed to your ignorant view of what it should be.

Hard to say what is more inflated, your pomposity, your ignorance, your misplaced pedantry or your sense of self importance.

Though when people go around accusing other people of indifference and lack of respect because they don't happen to have the same ideas as you the thing that is really biggest is their complete social inadequacy.

[MoggIntellect]

During my training, a similar question arose, but it revolved around pron. To teach the correct or the common usage, that is the eternal ESL question. 'Both' is usually the answer. Although it is important to teach the sts the "correct" grammar, it is equally important to teach the sts not to speak a if they were in 19th century England. Sts want to sound natural. We, as native speakers, are desired, not because of our deep churning pool of knowledge, rather, because we can best display the correct pron, as well as a vast many idioms, etc.

Furthermore, I thought teaching was a profession. Throwing around flames such as "ignorant" and calling others "indifferent" is hardly justified. Naturally there are differences in teaching methodology, and I am surprised that as professionals we cannot discuss these differences without it breaking down to name calling. Reading the posts above I am a bit . Despite being teachers, we are also sts ourselves, sts of teaching methodologies. I am doubtful that the people on here are "indifferent" or else I don't think they would waste their time posting on here. Some of this so-called indifference may simply be a difference in what they perceive is important in ELT. I think 99% of the teachers on this board put their sts' needs first, and do/would not shortchange them of a good education.

[denise]